DEiYiNa BISo^^ 45 



endeavour to direct its course towards this cul-de-sac ; 

 and when the head of the flying herd had once 

 entered the space between the chips, they would 

 increase the panic by means of shouts and arrow- 

 shots, till the whole of the fated cattle tumbled pell- 

 mell- over each other into the ravine beneath. African 

 travellers have described a somewhat similar method 

 as employed by the negroes with success. But since 

 the horse has been introduced by the Spaniards the 

 drive has seldom been resorted to, inasmuch as the 

 prairie Indians are nearly all well -mounted, and can 

 therefore pursue the buffalo with greater likelihood of 

 success. 



The Indian warrior in hunting uses a strong bow, 

 which, how^ever, is seldom more than two feet and 

 a-half in length, a short weapon being more convenient 

 to handle on horseback. It is made sometimes of 

 wood (generally of the Bois cVarc, or Osage orange), 

 with sinews glued upon the back of it ; and with this 

 the hunter can send an arrow, tipped wdth flint, clean 

 through the body of a huge bull, and leave it quiver- 

 ing in the turf beyond. 



The horses are fleet, hardy mustangs, seldom en- 

 cumbered with saddle or bridle, and the riders carry 

 very little besides the bow and arrows and a knife. 

 From the neck of the steed trails a long rope of 

 plaited hide called the larriette, or larricct, a corrup- 

 tion of the French word Varret This is used because 



